JONESBORO, Ark. (2/7/18) – Arkansas State head football coach Blake Anderson announced Wednesday the addition of four Arkansas high school standouts and one all-conference junior college transfer (in bold) to the Red Wolves 2018 signing class, which now includes 28 players from 13 different states.

Two defensive and two offensive players made up the four high school student-athletes inking with A-State on the Feb. 7 National Signing Day. Joining the class were Star City offensive lineman Jax Gasaway, Pulaski Academy quarterback Layne Hatcher, Joe T. Robinson cornerback Nathan Page and El Dorado defensive lineman Terry Hampton.

Gasaway was a 2017 all-state selection also named to the USA Today All-USA Arkansas Football Team. Hatcher ended his four-year career with the Bruins as Arkansas high school football’s all-time leader in career passing yards (15,483) and touchdowns (185).

On the defensive side of the ball, Page was an all-state selection during his high school career that saw him pile up over 160 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 14 interceptions. Hampton was a four-year varsity letterman who, like today’s other three high school signees, is listed a 3-star recruit by 247Sports.com.

Joining the Red Wolves as a College of the Canyons (Calif.) transfer was defensive end Noel Iwuchukwu, who earned 2017 First Team All-Southern California Football Association honors after recording 42 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last season as a sophomore.

A-State announced 22 players as part of the class on the first day of the early signing period on Dec. 20. East Mississippi Community College wide receiver Kirk Merritt later joined the group as a midyear signee who will be one of four newcomers available for the Red Wolves’ 2018 spring camp. Merritt most recently helped lead the Lions to the 2017 NJCAA nation championship and was named NJCAA All-Region 23 and MACJC All-State first team as both a wide receiver and kick returner as a sophomore.

The Red Wolves latest recruiting class, the fifth under Anderson, is now made up 17 defensive, 10 offensive and one special teams players. The team put a large focus on its defensive line and secondary, signing 15 combined cornerbacks, nickelbacks, safeties and linemen for the most among any of the position groups.

The entire signing group, including eight players who were already on the team in 2017 but count towards this year’s class, is made up of 18 high school signees, seven junior-college transfers and three NCAA FBS transfers. At least 22 signees were named all-state, all-conference or rated as at least a 3-star prospect by one of the major recruiting web sites, including Thomas Toki and Merritt, who were both a four-star recruits when they came out of high school.

The Red Wolves signed six players from the state of Arkansas, four from California, three players each from the states of Texas, Mississippi and Georgia and two from Louisiana. A-State also inked one player from Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri and Oklahoma.

A-State has won five Sun Belt Conference championships over the last seven years and has produced 59 victories for the most in the program’s 103-year history over a seven-season span. The Red Wolves also made their school-record seventh consecutive bowl-game appearance in 2017.

*midyear signee available for spring camp**already enrolled and sat out 2017 season due to NCAA transferring rules***enrolled fall 2017 and participate in the 2017 season, but counted toward the 2018 signing class

Jax Gasaway: 6-7, 265, Fr., OL, Star City, Ark. (Star City)2017 First Team All-Arkansas Preps selection by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . . . Named a 2017 Wendy’s High School Heisman “School Winner” for Star City . . . Named to the 2017 USA Today ALL-USA Arkansas Football Team as a first-team selection . . . Tabbed Class 4A All-State by the Arkansas Activities Association . . . 247Sports.com 3-star recruit also listed as the No. 10 overall player in Arkansas and the No. 118 offensive tackle in the nation . . . Rivals.com 3-star recruit ranked as the No. 14 overall player in the state of Arkansas . . . Also recruited by schools such as Louisiana Tech, Air Force, Marshall, Tulane, Texas State and ULM.

Terry Hampton: 6-0, 254, Fr., DL, El Dorado, Ark. (El Dorado)Four-year varsity letterman . . . Helped lead El Dorado to the Class 6A state playoffs all four seasons, including the semifinals as a freshman and the second round his final three years . . . Hootens.com “Top 50 Recruits for 2018” (No. 16) in the state of Arkansas . . . 3-star recruit by 247Sports.com, which also lists Hampton as the No. 15 overall player in the state of Arkansas and the No. 123 defensive tackle in the nation . . . Rivals.com 3-star recruit ranked as the No. 19 player in Arkansas.

Layne Hatcher: 6-1, 204, Fr., QB, Little Rock, Ark. (Pulaski Academy)Four-year varsity letterman and three-year starter . . . Arkansas high school football’s all-time leader in passing yards (15,483) and touchdowns (185) . . . Finished his career 1,002 completions on 1,479 attempts while compiling a 152.9 QB rating . . . Recorded 18 career rushing touchdowns . . . Posted a 41-1 record in three years as the Bruins’ starting quarterback . . . Passed for 5,779 yards with 66 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2017, leading Pulaski Academy to its fourth straight Class 5A state championship . . . Posted 4,656 passing yards and 58 touchdowns as a junior, while also throwing for 4,667 yards and 55 scores as a sophomore . . . Piled up a national record 791 yards total offense, including 757 passing, and nine touchdowns against Little Rock Christian as a senior . . . Posted 12 300-yard passing games in 2017 . . . Tabbed all-conference and all-state as sophomore, junior and senior . . . Senior season named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Offensive Player of the Year, as well as Hootens.com 5A Offensive Player of the Year, Gatorade Arkansas Football Player of the Year . . . 3-star prospect by 247Sports.com, also listing him as the No. 23 overall player in the state of Arkansas and the No. 52 dual-threat quarterback in the nation . . . Rivals.com 2-star recruit . . . Also recruited by schools such as Louisiana Tech and Eastern Illinois . . . Three-time state champion in wrestling and ranked No. 5 in the nation in the sport

Noel Iwuchukwu: 6-2, 220, Jr., DE, Los Angeles, Calif. (College of the Canyons (Calif.)Team captain at College of the Canyons . . . 2017 First Team All-Southern California Football Association (SCFA) National Division . . . Helped lead the Cougars to a 9-2 overall record and 4-1 mark in conference play . . . Posted 42 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, one interception and a forced fumble in 10 games as a sophomore . . . Named the 2017 Western State Bowl MVP after posting six tackles and a forced fumble . . . Finished freshman season with 32 tackles, three sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble . . . Two-year career at College of the Canyons saw him pile up 74 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles . . . Varsity letterman at Notre Dame (Calif.) High School . . . Entering his senior season, he was named a “High School Defensive Lineman to Watch” by the Los Angeles Times . . . Tabbed a 2-star recruit by both Rivlas.com and 247Sports.com, which also lists him as the No. 161 weak side defensive end in the nation . . . Also recruited by teams such as Illinois and North Texas.

Nathan Page: 6-0, 175, Fr., CB, Roland, Ark. (Robinson)An all-State and all-conference performer during his career at Robinson, Page played both offense and defense . . . Recorded 40 tackles, four tackles for loss, nine pass break-ups, one forced fumble and six interceptions as a senior . . . Also posted 19 receptions for 359 yards and six touchdowns while recording 68 rushing yards on six attempts . . . Named to USA Today’s 2017 All-USA Arkansas Football Team . . . Junior campaign saw him pile up 47 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, four pass break-ups and two interceptions on the defensive side of the ball . . . Offensive stats included 45 receptions for 1,118 yards and 14 touchdowns . . . As a sophomore, Page tallied 81 tackles and six interceptions . . . His high school career totals include 108 receptions for 2,208 yards and 28 touchdowns, as well as 168 tackles, nine TFL, 13 pass break-ups and 14 interceptions . . . Recorded two career kickoff returns for touchdown . . . 3-star recruit by Rivals.com, which also ranks him as the No. 6 overall player in the state of Arkansas . . . 247Sports.com 3-star recruit ranked as the No. 7 player in Arkansas and No. 58 athlete in the nation . . . Also recruited by schools such as Louisiana Tech, ULM, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisville, Nebraska, TCU, Texas and Virginia Tech.